Enthroned

King Arthur and Her Knights #1

by K.M. Shea

ASIN B00ED0SKLE moved to the most recent edition here

After posing with a rusty sword for a photo in a British graveyard, Britt Arthurs is pulled through time all the way back to the age of King Arthur where the shockingly young and handsome Merlin is waiting for her. The wizard has some bad news: the real Arthur has run off with a shepherdess, and whoever pulls the sword from the stone is to become the King of England. Unfortunately for Britt, the sword slides out like butter when she pulls it after fighting with Merlin. Long Live King Arthurs!

Genres: Fantasy, Time Travel, Retellings, Young Adult, Arthurian, Historical, Magic

107 pages, ebook

First published August 4, 2013

About the author

My pen name is K. M. Shea, but my readers—I prefer to call them Champions—call me Kitty.

I love to write funny, clean stories with strong characters. Books like that are among my favorite to read so naturally I love writing stories like that as well. My philosophy is that life is tough, so books should be something that makes you relax and laugh!

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Reviews

[C.B. Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, this book. It's sooo, sooo close to being a five star book. And I mean super, super close. But just a few things through me off enough for it not to be. So let us begin.

The Good
-Plot. I LOVED this book. To tell the truth, when I picked it up, I was much more intrigued by the time travel part than the "female King Arthur" part, but I adored how the plot was woven together.
-"Father"/"daughter" relationship. Britt and Sir Ector!!! It was so sweet!!! They weren't flesh and blood, but he still treated her like his daughter (son substitute?) and you could tell she loved him.
-Kay. OH MY GRAVY. I loved him so much. *big squishy hug*
-Merlin. One of my favorite quotes is about him. From Britt's point of view, of course. "'That's it, I must be dreaming. I subconsciously made up a hot Merlin.'" 'Nuff said. He was awesome.
-LORD OF THE RINGS REFERENCES!!!!!! My favorites:

"For starters you have got to be the worst Merlin actor ever. You're like, wearing Gandalf's robe and cloak from Lord of the Rings - which works I guess--"

"'Now I know how Frodo felt about the Ring,' Britt sighed."

-Ywain. He was just plain awesome. <3

The Bad
-Later characterization. Later in the book, characterization drops off a little. The characters don't change much.
-Britt's reaction. She seriously thinks it's all a dream for about 75% of the book. FACE REALITY GIRL.
-Editing. There were a few little mistakes that threw me off, but they weren't bad.
-King Arthur Being A Girl. There are a few hiccups with this, but my biggest problem is something that we haven't gotten to yet: Guinevere. That's kind of worrying me, because unless Guinevere is a guy... *weirded out*

The Ugly
There was a lot of use of the word "crap" and one use of the first three letters of s***... but it's certainly clear what she starts to say.

Great book! K.M. Shea did a wonderful job with this!

[SHOMPA · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not really a story. It's more like an outline for a story with dull characters thrown in. Rather rushed, obvious and tedious.

[Hollie · Rating 2 out of 5]

~1.5 stars~

I love a good fairytale retelling and have been a fan of some of this writers previous work, so I was eager to read this one. I guess it's one of those situations where it "must just me" because this book has quite a few positive reviews, but for me personally it was brutal. The story concept sounded intriguing. I loved the idea of Author being female. Sadly, even that wasn’t enough to redeem this story. There seemed to be no character depth at all. It was a time travel read, but it seemed to be all over the place. I had a hard time even finishing this one and Im surprised I was able to do so. No romance, no intensity, it just fell flat for me in all areas. I'm glad it was offered as a kindle unlimited, and I will still read more of this writers work but this particular book was a disappointment.

[Sarah Ryder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Video Review: https://youtu.be/fqSv70FN8L8

July 2023 Update: This story is still good, but I’m lowering it to a 3 star because Britt did annoy me a bit this time around with how cold and with how stinking know it all she is at times, not to mention the story didn’t grip me as much this time around.

Also she’s WAAYYY too good at sword fighting experienced, battle hardened knights while she’s a girl from the future where we, sadly, don’t practice swordsmanship like that for it to be believable, not to mention it makes her an annoying Mary-Sue which I’m finding I don’t like anymore.

Still a fun story but it has some holes and flaws I would accept more if a wizard made her that way rather then she just is because the plot needed her to be.

****

Original October 2021 Review: Such a fun take on the King Arthur legend! I’ve always LOVED King Arthur (even though ironically I’ve…never read any of the originals 🙈) plus my family and I are watching BBC’s Merlin for the first time so now seemed the perfect time to read this. And a female King Arthur from modern times being yanked back in time sounded like a super fun twist on the tale and this first novella did not disappoint!

Britt is an awesome main character and her modern terms and references cracked me up more then once especially since those around her had no idea what she was talking about. The funniest part was when she started spouting about Jedi and Sith and the knights with her were just like 🤨🤷🏼‍♀️???? and I was secretly cackling at how funny it was. I don’t have a huge opinion on Merlin right now, but I like him! And I can see the potential of him and Britt liking each other in the future…😉☺️

My favorite scenes were Britt and Merlin talking on Camelot’s wall and when Britt rides out on the battlefield in the end—the way that one was written I could clearly picture like a movie and was very emotionally powerful.

Excited to continue on!


‼️Content‼️

Language: freaking; crap; gee; good God; what the heck; wench; dang it

Violence: war violence and fighting with weapons (not detailed); blood (not detailed); a dagger is held to a man’s throat

Sexual: a guy is called hot/a hottie

Drug/Alcohol: characters drink ale and wine

Other: time travel; magic; a wizard; faeries

[Lucy Anne Holland · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, KM Shea is amazing. Her books are clean, fun, and exciting. If you have not read any of her books yet, please do! She’s a super talented writer.
Now, on to the review...
I loooooved the concept of a female King Arthur. Way to be original, Shea. The time travel element was compelling too and made for some interesting flourishes.
I wish I could leave the review at that, but I want to be honest. So here goes. Britt was a fun character; however, there was little development and her reactions weren’t in depth. It felt like I was just skimming the surface of who she was. Merlin… In this rendition, he’s supposed to young and handsome, but I had a really hard time getting passed an old man wearing Gandalf robes. This could have been a clever twist, yet again, there wasn’t enough development.
While the plot had great potential, it was rushed. I felt like someone had pressed fast forward and I was only getting vague images of the real story. The writing was pretty good, although a little grey compared to Shea’s other works. Lastly, there were a few things that were unbelievable. Like the fact that Britt is mistaken for a boy, plus her exceptional martial skills...

Altogether, I was disappointed by this story, but since I got books 1-3 for free, I might read the next two. And who knows, maybe I’ll like them better.

[Tricia Mingerink · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book and this series so much! I can't believe I never reviewed it!

King Arthur retellings can be tricky things. I loved Gerald Morris' versions and the BBC Merlin, yet neither of those have happy endings. Due to the legends, it can be hard to end a King Arthur retelling both happily and true to the legends.

This series is one of the few that manages to pull off both, and it is amazing.

Britt is a twenty-one-year old American girl on a trip to England when she touches a sword and gets yanked into the past to become King Arthur. The young and hot Merlin is a little nonplussed to find that his spell yanked back a girl from so far in the future, but it can't be helped, so he disguises her anyway and keeps on forging ahead on his plan.

This whole series is so much fun! The characters all become so dear over the course of the books, and Britt makes for a believable girl-turned-King-Arthur.

Highly recommend for fans of the BBC Merlin who need more King Arthur stories in their lives!

Re-Re-Re-Read Review: Re-read via the new audiobook (the audiobook is of the full collection, so, yes, I'm padding my Goodreads challenge by listing each book individually). The audiobook is really well done, and I really like the narrator!

[Goth Gone Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gender bending Connecticut Yankee

The fascination with the mythology behind King Arthur's legend continues, this time in a quickly paced, light read about a modern descendant sent back in time. The sword in the stone, a wonderful trick from up Merlin's sleeve, brings Britt Arthurs to become the new King Arthur, complete with knights, swordplay, and all that era consists of.

This is the start of a series, free on Amazon as I type this (1-4-18) and a delight to read. It's easy to fall into the story and suspend disbelief to go along with the ride. A modern girl who happens to be trained in riding horses and swordplay? Sure, works for me. Knights that accept the sudden appearance of a girl, disguise her as a boy, and follow her? Merlin's pretty powerful, let's see what happens next.

A fun read, I'll look for more from this author.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for a group challenge. Not a book I would normally read, as the subject matter isn't of specific interest. Because, of that my overall rating of the book suffered. If you normally like this kind of thing, I think most will enjoy it.

3.5 stars!

[Millie Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Connie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a strange little book, and I'm not quite sure what to make of it. The idea sounded interesting, but it wound up being pretty unbelievable. A young woman gets transported back to the time when Arthur is supposed to pull the famous sword from the stone. But the real Arthur has run off, and she is asked to pretend to be him. Enter first unbelievable idea. Apparently most everyone is quite easily fooled that a 21-ish young woman is really a 15-year-old boy. She also has to combat the sexism of those who know that she is a woman--the knights that Merlin has rounded up to support her. And apparently she is easily able to do this because she is expert in modern fencing, cause that is SO similar to fighting fully-armored medieval knights. And while it is satisfying in some small way to see a girl kicking the butts of huge guys, it is still pretty unbelievable. I shudder to think where this long series will take this whole concept of a female Arthur, but I'm certainly not invested enough to find out. There was very little depth to the story, and the characters were really uninteresting cardboard cutouts.

[Raquel (Silver Valkyrie Reads)]

Interesting premise, irritating/boring main character.

[MK ( MaKayla) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings on this. I like it in in some ways ,but at the same time I'm not as in love with it as I would like to be . I like it enough that I'm still going to continue on with the series though .

Content :
Crystal Clean besides violence ( I don't remember any language at all )

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, if you are looking for a good, deep read, this book is not it. With a rather basic plot and predictable characters, it doesn't provoke a lot of thought, but the story itself is fun.
This is what I call a "light" book. It's a book that I read just for fun, not to challenge myself in any way. This is not to be mistaken for a fluff book, as it does not deal with hyped up teenaged emotions and little to no plot outside of romance. In fact, there isn't even any romance present in the book.
Britt Arthurs is likable enough as a main character, though she seems a little too perfect. I mean, she gets sucked into the past and just happens to be a "medieval martial arts specialist?"
Again, a characteristic of a light book.
I think that Merlin is by far my favorite character. He certainly has the strongest personality. Bull headed, secretly kind, shockingly handsome, arrogant. Basically, the only character in the series that seems to possess a real personality.
Overall, though, I did enjoy the book. As a light read, it is just what I need when I want to stop my brain from thinking right before I go to sleep.

[Heather Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good

A revamped take on a classic tale, taking the Arthurian legend and twisting it with just the right amount of modern flair and gender bending intrigue. This was well done, though there was still something indefinably missing - an aura or a feeling that would have solidified this tale for me. Britt is brilliant, but young Merlin may be too clever for his own good - and far too apt to play fools against each other.

Pros:
- King Arthur.
- Young Merlin is hot.
- Keeps with the spirit of the legend.
- Decently paced.

Cons:
- Politics are politics, no matter the era.
- Too many skin through paragraphs or pages.

[jodie louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Original rating 2015
This was SO good! 4.5 Stars!!

9 years later…
2024 rating
2.75 I remember loving this when I first read it but I’m struggling to figure out why.. 😅 the concept could be exceptional and for a novella it’s interesting but if this were a full length novel it could be exceptional

[Carina Shephard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Currently free on Amazon!

Rtc!

[Jamie (The Kansan Reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 star

Ah, this is quite a different take on the Arthur story. Now personally, I have never read the original King Arthur. I should but I haven’t. I do know some of the important stuff. That Arthur pulled a sword from the stone, his sword was Excalibur, he had a romance with Guinevere who then was with Lancelot. He also had a round table and his knights were chivalrous.

I like a female Arthur. It makes it interesting. At first, though, the story was slow and I didn’t really care for Britt. Also, I like a younger Merlin. I wonder if there will be a romance between Sir Kay and Britt. It seems Kay is a bit smitten with her.

Anyway on to the second book.

[Marianne Boutet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A girl on vacation pulls a sword out of a tourist rock and ends up in Arthurian Great Britain - and she is Arthur! Or so Merlin tells her. After coping with denial and Merlin's perambulations (now there's a nice description) Britt settles into her role nicely - until she has to surveil her first battle.

It had its flaws, but overall I liked the premise; the world building was well done. I also appreciated the author's insertion of humor here and there. A good read, and enough to lead me on to the sequel. :)

[herdys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not always a fan of retellings but K M Shea has a way of writing them that feels fresh and funny. This one obviously has some things you have to look over to believe it all, but since it's magic, I went with it. I really liked Britt and her Knights, and her relationship with the grumpy Merlin. There are so many versions of Arthur, that why couldn't she be 21st century girl brought back in time hehe.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite series! I love the setting of King Arthur with the twist of Britt Arthurs, a girl from modern time, standing in for King Arthur. I like her banter with Merlin and her animosity toward Lancelot. I enjoy K. M. Shea's writing style.

[Kara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had this book for over a year and just now read it...SOOOOOOO GOOD!! I started to read a few pages and ended up reading WAY PAST my bedtime! Then I bought the other books in the series. Britt is SUCH a great character and I have to know what happens next.

[Josie (bookandscone) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I might write a review soon.

[Susanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 easy, enjoyable stars

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. But seriously? Having everyone think she's a boy for the whole series? I also couldn't get into the fact that she just accepted everything so quickly.

[Johanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review update:
I still agree with most of what I said in my first review. Except, now there are seven books (this is apparently really the end). Also, I think I might update my rating from three stars to four stars. This book is just incredibly entertaining. If you are looking for a quick entertaining read with lots a anacronistic moments of female independence and absurd situations and a new look at a well known story, this might be for you.
But be prepared to continue reading immediately. I'm already in the middle of book two and I get the feeling this is basically just one very long story, cut into several short books.
At the moment these books just make me smile a lot and what do I want more than that?

Enthroned is the first in a six book (or rather novella) series. The books are all pretty short. This first one has just about 100 pages. That is also where its biggest flaw lies. The idea is fun, the little character interaction we get is fun as is the development but it’s just all too quick and doesn’t go into much detail. But let’s begin with the plot.
Enthroned is a retelling of the Arthurian Legend. Our MC in this is Brit Arthurs and she is American. She is currently on a literary England trip with some of her friends. Part of it is a King Arthur tour. Typical tourist she is forced to pose with the sword in the stone and zap … she finds herself in the past. You see, Merlin (way younger and hotter than he should be judging from the legend) has a problem. Arthur, instead of pulling the sword from the stone and unite Britain as king, decided to run off with a maid. Now being an enchanter he does what enchanters do to solve their problems … enchants and pulls Brit back through time so she can be the new King Arthur.
Honestly, this story has a lot of potential and fun going on. Including a very absurd cat fight between Brit and the Lady of the Lake with a horrified Merlin looking on. But, as mentioned before, the shortness of the book means we miss out on a lot of character development. Brit is surprisingly quick to accept that she’s stuck in medieval times and has to live as a man from now on. But the most absurd thing … Brit as a bad ass sword fighter! I don’t care how much you love your hobby of historical sword fight, no modern American girl is better in sword fighting than a guy who spent his entire life training and practicing… that’s just not how this works. Talent only gets you so far at some point the absurd differences in training times just can’t be overcome.
Still, I had fun with this little book and since it was for free on kindle unlimited I’ll certainly at some point continue with this series just to see where it leads. So if you are looking for a quick entertaining read for a train ride or the likes, this might be something for you.

[S.Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my review over the all the books out so far (1-6). I have only one word to describe this series.... INCREDIBLE!!!!! I already read books fast but with this series I flew through them at an insane speed. I stayed up late to read them, I read them while I ate lunch, I read them when I was technically supposed to be doing other things. I COULD NOT PUT THEM DOWN. I was caught up in the tale of Britt Arthurs a 21st century American girl who had a passion for Medieval Marshal Arts from the very first word. I was captivated by her story and I thoroughly enjoyed in watching how she reacted to being transported back to medieval England to take the place of the famous King Arthur of Camelot. I loved watching her navigate the political minefield that is her court. I fell in love with Merlin her chief adviser who often has the temperament of crotchety old man. I quickly took a liking to Britt and her fiery, cunning, protective nature. I also have to admit that it was so satisfying to have a female main character who could actually kick butt for once. These books keep you on your toes and you never know what will happen next. I cannot wait for the next book!!! LONG LIVE KING ARTHUR AND HER KNIGHTS!!!

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love KM Shea books so much they always have such fantastic characters and make me laugh.

This time it's a retelling of King Arthur but with the major twist that King Arthur is really Britt Arthurs a girl dragged back to the past by Merlin when the real Arthur runs off with a shepherdess.

Britt originally thinks the whole thing is a wind up and pulls the sword from the stone as a bit of a bet with Merlin. She then decides that actually it must be a dream so why not go with it until it's time to wake up. As a result she doesn't take anything too seriously much to Merlin and the knights horror.

Merlin, who in this version is quite young and hot, takes on the role of instructor to Britt and teaches her all about the politics, rules and strategy. The relationship between Britt and Merlin was so funny it had me laughing aloud. He tries to boss her around and she completely ignores him.

The absolute highlight of the story for me though was her meeting with the lady of the lake. This book is definitely worth reading for that alone. I'm excited to see where this story goes next.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really just began this story but couldn't make myself keep going. Maybe it gets better, but I wasn't willing to keep on trying. The story felt like it was written to teenagers (and I'm not one) with the language that was used (like calling the cute guy "hotty" over and over again). And then the main character, Britt Arthurs started to use the word "crap" several times, which is offensive to me, so I gave up. I love K.M. Shea's fairy tale books and have read every one of them and was so looking forward to starting another series by her, but this one won't be it.

[Kerstin · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first I wasn't sure I liked the idea of "King Arthur" being a woman, but it turned out okay. I liked it. I was nervous it would either be way feminist or some gender identity type thing. It wasn't either. Which I appreciated. Started a little slow for me, but enjoyed it by the end. I have started reading the second book. Clean read. No language, sex or gore violence. There were some battle scenes, but the description was light enough that it didn't bother me (and I don't like detailed battles).

[Sarah Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

No strong representation of diverse characters or minority identities.

Overall: 4-stars

Mature Themes:
• Alcohol consumption


Possible Triggers: Yes
• Sword violence
• Death
• War themes


Ending: HFN